MONTREAL, QC -- The Canadian Hockey Association has hired Martin Savaria of Otterburn Park, QC as Manager of the Quebec Centre of Excellence at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Jamie McDonald, the CHA's Director of Development announced Wednesday.

The Quebec Centre of Excellence becomes the fifth such facility operated by the Canadian Hockey Association, which has other centres in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Saint John, NB.

Savaria, 32, played minor hockey from age 8 to 20 in the Beloeil Minor Hockey Association on Montreal's South Shore and in 1988 obtained a Bachelor of Physical Education from l'Université de Montréal, with a specialization in hockey.

Hired by Hockey Montreal in August 1989, Savaria was responsible for, among other things, the Skill Development Program, for organizing Hockey Montreal's hockey schools, conducting courses for volunteer coaches and managing the daily operation of a regional office.

Since 1991, Savaria has been a part-time hockey instructor at l'Université de Montréal. He has continued to teach at a variety of hockey schools over the last decade.

"We're very fortunate to have been able to bring someone with Martin's understanding of minor hockey from a player's, a coach's and an instructor's point of view," said McDonald. "The mission of the Centres of Excellence is to improve the game of hockey by playing a leading role in the research and development of the game and daily contact with the people playing and coaching the game is essential to fulfill that mission."

As manager of the Quebec Centre of Excellence, Savaria will coordinate a wide variety of activities, including staging clinics for coaches, officials, trainers, and hockey parents, hosting coaching seminars, and maintaining a close working relationship with the Montreal Canadiens and with Hockey Quebec in creating other development opportunities that benefit minor hockey in Quebec.